Chronicles of the Lost Souls Chapter 1: PROLOGUE, a ranma fanfic

CHRONICLES OF THE LOST SOULS

A story based on Ranma 1/2 by Rumiko Takahashi

Written by ZETAGÉ

Author's Note:

Hi! Thank you for reading this story. With the release of the excellent Ranma 1/2 remake, I felt inspired to pick up this old project that had been on hold for years. I'm writing this story mainly for my own enjoyment, but if you'd like to join me on this journey, you are more than welcome to stay. If you do, I sincerely hope you enjoy this piece and everything I have planned for it.

And, by the way, in case you didn't know, English isn't my first language. While I'm doing my best to bring you the best version of this story I can manage, even watching and reading the official material in English to familiarize myself with the terminology used, please understand that some mistakes might still happen. Thank you for your understanding!

Lastly, it seems that FFnet is experiencing a lot of issues with its servers when updating files. Because of this, I'd like to remind you that I'm also publishing on other sites like AO3 and Wattpad. You can find my username for those and other platforms where I post content in my profile.

PROLOGUE

Although that day had started bright and hot, like a typical July day, it didn't take long for the sky to darken as clouds slowly rolled in during the afternoon. The weather felt strange, almost foreboding, but neither that nor anything else would stop Ranma from carrying out his plan. After all, he doubted he'd have the courage to try again if he let the chance slip by. It had taken him countless hours of arguing with himself to muster up the nerve and convince himself that he wasn't making a mistake, and he had no desire to go through that ordeal again.

Luckily for him, beyond the weather, everything seemed to be going smoothly. Even Nerima, always the epicenter of his chaotic life, seemed to align with his wishes that afternoon, remaining unusually calm. Even Akane, walking close behind him, seemed more composed than usual. He couldn't help but notice her docility and hoped it was just his nerves playing tricks on him, rather than her suspecting anything about his plan. He already had enough trouble keeping his own nerves in check. Still, if he thought about it, the fact that they weren't arguing could be taken as a good start. Hopefully, everything would stay that way.

"Ranma," Akane suddenly asked, startling him so much his heart nearly leapt out of his chest. "Where are we going? You asked me to follow you, but we've been wandering for a while, and it looks like it's going to rain."

"J-Just trust me, okay?" he replied with a smile meant to seem confident, though his voice betrayed him. "We're almost there."

The problem was that Ranma wasn't entirely sure where 'there' was. He had already decided what he was going to do, but he wanted it to happen in a private place, ruling out anywhere near the dojo or the school, where prying eyes were abundant. With that in mind, he had wandered into streets he usually avoided, hoping the perfect spot would magically appear. But so far, he hadn't had any luck. And all he wanted was for things to go perfectly, just this once.

"You'd better hurry, because the sky doesn't look good at all," Akane remarked.

"I know that already!" Ranma snapped, scratching the back of his neck roughly, as if trying to shake off Akane's judgmental gaze. He might have to lower his expectations. He glanced at the cloudy sky and cursed himself for not planning better—or at least checking the weather forecast. But what was done was done. He was going to go through with it, rain or shine.

In the end, his fretting was unnecessary, as his steps eventually led him to the cheesiest spot available: the lake park, Nerima's favorite spot for couples.

"Just as planned," he muttered to himself with a wry smile, fully aware of how forced it sounded.

"Wait," Akane said with a small laugh, her amusement evident in her smile. "Is this… a date?"

"Idiot! Don't say that out loud!"

"Ranma…" She murmured his name softly, her tone a mix of surprise and nervousness. Though she covered her mouth with her hand, her smile was still visible, and Ranma felt his face heat up to his ears.

"Look…!" he began, though his nerves got the better of him, and his voice rose higher than he intended. Clearing his throat, he resigned himself to the blush creeping over his face and tried again, fixing his eyes on the lake. "Look, I know this is weird, but I'm a man, and I've got to take responsibility. You understand? I mean…! D-Don't get the wrong idea! I'm not saying…"

"Uh-huh…"

Ranma couldn't bring himself to look at her expressión, but Akane simply waited in silence.

"What I'm trying to say is…!" He faltered again, took a deep breath to steady himself, and mustered the courage to meet her gaze. "What I mean is, after what happened at Mount Phoenix and… and with the our wedding… being ruined… Well…"

The mere mention of the word 'wedding' almost made him lose his nerve, but he pushed through his fear. Reached into his pocket, he pulled out the object he had planned this whole thing for. There was no turning back now.

"Ranma?"

"I-I know your birthday's next week! And I thought this would make a good gift!" He spoke quickly, the words tumbling out in a rush. "After all, even if it's just for a few months, you're older than me, and I thought this would make you look distinguished and…" He stopped short, unable to say that it would also make her look 'cute.' "It's not much, but I hope you like it! And maybe…" Ranma hesitated again, his gaze shifting away as his face burned bright red. "M-Maybe this will help you trust my feelings…"

Akane took the gift Ranma offered her with both hands: a small black box, which she opened carefully with trembling fingers to reveal a pretty silver ring. She, too, was blushing deeply but made no effort to hide it.

Meanwhile, Ranma watched her with wide, expectant eyes. His heart was pounding against his ribs. He hadn't realized it would be this nerve-wracking. He just hoped no one else was watching them.

"A-And… If you don't like it, you can give it back!"

But Akane didn't say anything. She simply stared at the ring in silence for a moment, her eyes shining. Then, she smiled, a smile unlike any Ranma had ever seen before; she looked different, though that familiar smile of hers always left him completely disarmed.

"It's… perfect, Ranma," she finally replied after a brief pause, as if searching for the right words. "I love it!"

Without hesitation and with her eyes glistening, she slipped the ring onto the ring finger of her left hand. Ranma still felt his heart pounding in his chest, especially because he suddenly found himself in a situation he hadn't prepared for. He had planned how to give her the ring, but he had no idea what to do afterward. Just thinking about it made his head spin.

Although the moment's tension had made him forget about the weather, it suddenly swept around them with an icy-cold wind. The flamingos that often lingered by the lake let out loud cries and took flight, as if fleeing. Only then did Ranma notice how dark it had gotten—far too dark for the time of day. The thick clouds overhead cast long shadows that stretched like fingers, shrouding everything in an oppressive gloom—a darkness that he felt unnaturally deep, ominous, and heavy.

And that darkness closed in around her.
With an empty and confused mind, she wandered aimlessly, barefoot across the sands of that desert she did not recognize. She couldn't even recall how she had arrived there; when she woke, she was already walking beneath the starry night sky of that vast, desolate place. All she knew was that she was thirsty, hungry, and cold. Very cold. A cold that pierced her to the bone.

She hugged herself in a futile attempt to resist the elements, but it was no use. Her exposed body trembled as she dragged one foot mechanically in front of the other. Without direction, without purpose, without memories; as if she were no more than an empty shell cast aside to die amidst the elements. If that was the case, it was clearly working.

Her knees buckled when she took a misstep, and she collapsed face-first into the sand. Breathing became difficult as the grains clogged her airway, and she used what little energy she had left to roll onto her back. Suddenly, her exhausted eyes found themselves face-to-face with the immensity of the starry sky. It seemed beautiful to her, yet something inside her chest suddenly filled her with an overwhelming sense of urgency.

You can't stay here! someone in her mind urged her; she didn't know if it was herself since she had forgotten the sound of her own voice. You have to keep moving! If you don't, she'll be sad!

'She'? Who was that 'she'? Even though she didn't know, that voice renewed her strength just enough to prevent her from giving up.

"C-Come on…" she urged herself weakly; her throat burned as she spoke, and her teeth chattered uncontrollably. "Y-You have to s-stand up…!" Her leg muscles were slow to respond, numb. "I-If you don't… s-she… she will… GET UP!"

That scream escaped her as a challenge, filling her with just enough strength to stand upright in one swift motion. But though she stood fully tall for a fleeting moment, it didn't last. Her strength abandoned her once again.

With her eyes fixed on the stars above, she fell back onto the ground with a heavy thud, realizing this time she wouldn't rise again. A part of her wanted to cry out of guilt and frustration, but that feeling quickly faded. The elements began to claim their toll, and her body started to drift away from this world.

However, as she stared at the stars and felt unconsciousness creeping in, a memory came to her mind—a face. A face she found painfully beautiful, one she longed for with all her soul. She recalled its features, the tone of the skin, the color of the eyes, and the short, dark hair. But what clung most to her memory was the smile—a beautiful smile, the most beautiful of all, now lost to loneliness and sorrow.

She wanted to remember more, to know the name that belonged to that face, but her time had run out. The memory vanished, dissolving into the stars of that desert night—alongside the breath of life that slipped away, plunging her into darkness and silence.